Jewish Merchants in Yorkville Ruined As Dawa Presses War

As the day of the DAWA (German-American Protective Alliance) celebration draws nearer, Jewish merchants and consumers throughout New York grow more apprehensive over the success of the DAWA-sponsored boycott of Jewish goods. Many have expressed the conviction that if the DAWA celebration, scheduled for the night of May 17 in Madison Square Garden, is a success it will signalize a widespread boycott of Jewish concerns and social and political ostracism of American Jewry.

A survey of conditions in Yorkville on the eve of the first great DAWA bid for adherents reveals the fact that Jews in this section of New York are boycotted quite as thoroughly as in Germany.

There is, for instance, the book trade. Of all the large German book stores in the neighborhood, but one is “Aryan” owned, and it is reported generally that the “Aryan” owner of this store is of Bohemian parentage. His mother is said to be a Bohemian Jewess. Yet the owner belongs to the DAWA, and he proudly displays the DAWA eagle, which bears a marked similarity to the merchant NRA label, on his house of business.

ONE FACES RUIN

Here, in brief, is the story of one German-Jewish book handler: “Twice I have made application to join the DAWA, recognizing that if I failed to be enrolled in this exclusive German business circle my business would be ruined. Ninety-eight percent of my merchandise, books and other articles I handle, are made in Germany, and they are designed for consumption by Germans exclusively. Without the good will of Yorkville German-Americans I am ruined.

“I have been in business twelve years, during which time I have handled German goods almost exclusively. The anti-Nazi boycott did not affect my business. I could not afford to be in sympathy with it.

“Consequently when the DAWA began its drive, I made application for membership in it. I sent two letters, one of them registered, to the DAWA offices. They did not respond. But subsequently I met DAWA solicitors, men who before this anti-Jewish campaign began were good friends of mine. They told me that I could not belong to the DAWA because I was Jewish. They said that no Jew would be allowed to belong to the DAWA.

SALES ALMOST CEASE

“As a result of the DAWA boycott of Jewish concerns, my sales have fallen off almost one hundred percent. I have had a fairly prosperous business until now. It was so prosperous, in fact, that frequent robberies have occurred here. Two-and-a-half years ago I had two robberies in my store in one month. Not even the burglars come any more.

“To illustrate the attitude of the German-Americans: A few days ago two girls came into the store. They selected the books they wanted, when one of them looked at me and said to her companion, ‘He’s a Jew. We shouldn’t trade here.’ The other one said, ‘He’s a Jew, but he handles German goods.’ The first one concluded the conversation with, ‘Germans no longer buy from Jews.’ And both left without purchasing any goods.

“The condition is general among Yorkville Jewish dealers. A barber ship nearby is closing up in the neighborhood. It is owned by a Jew. It was one of the busiest small shops in the district. Now, it is almost deserted.”

DAWA’S OWN STORES

From many Yorkville businessmen comes the news that the DAWA has laid plans for opening stores of all kinds in order to entirely blot out Jewish business in that section.

Another Jewish owner of a large Yorkville bookstore tells his story as follows: “My goods is one hundred percent German. My clientele is almost entirely German, and many of my patrons sympathize with the Hitler Government. Consequently I have carried in my line all the latest books and periodicals on the situation in Germany as put out by National Socialist writers.

“Every day new persons come into my store to remind me of the fact that I am boycotted. They ask whether or not I am a member of the DAWA. When I reply that I have not yet joined the DAWA, they reply invariably, ‘When you do, we shall purchase your books.’

MUST GIVE NAZIS ADS

“I have also been boycotted because I do not advertise more frequently in the Deutsche Zeitung. A number of German-Americans have come to buy, and before they make their purchases they ask if I advertise in this Nazi publication. Just a half hour ago one of my best customers, a man who has been buying between five and six dollars’ worth of books every week for years, came in. He asked me why I was not advertising in the Deutsche Zeitung. I told him that I did about every third issue of the paper. He left without buying, saying, ‘When I see your ad in the Deutsche Zeitung, I’ll come back and buy books.'”

A Jewish bookseller in Yorkville sent his application to the DAWA headquarters with a check for five dollars as admission fee. A few days later two solicitors for the DAWA returned his check with the explanation that the DAWA did not admit Jews to membership.

When appealed to, a prominent official of the Steuben Society came to one Jewish-owned store in Yorkville. It was explained that, despite the fact that the store handles German goods it is being boycotted. The Steubenite is reported as having called the DAWA a “racket.” The Steuben Society has recently issued an appeal to all members and sympathizers to oppose all boycotts whether they be anti-Nazi or anti-Jewish.